In order to be cleaned, ampules or similar containers are either placed on hollow needles, as is already known, for example, in the German laid-open application No. 20 24 205, or held by grasping elements fixed on revolving chains, as in the German laid-open application No. 19 01 833, and thus in this manner are delivered to the individual treatment stations. In both disclosures the delivery apparatus for the ampules is attached to a water bath subjected to ultrasonic waves, through which the ampules are guided. The ultrasonic treatment, in particular, removes firmly adhering dirt particles from the ampules. However, the portions of the ampules which are held by the grasping elements are not cleaned, and the areas which are beneath the grasping elements are likewise insufficiently reached by the ultrasonic waves. After the ultrasonic treatment, the ampules are sprayed several times on the inside and dried by blowing, and in the disclosure of the German laid-open application No. 20 24 205 they then proceed to the area of an apparatus which discharges them. In the apparatus according to the German laid-open application No. 19 01 833, a drying apparatus is connected to the spraying and blowing apparatus. Finally, the ampules are delivered to a removal station. In order to accomplish an effective ultrasonic treatment of the ampules, they must remain for a predetermined length of time in the water bath, and this interval is important, i.e., it must not be shortened. Thus the effectiveness of these cleaning machines is dependent on the length of time the ampules remain in the water bath which is subjected to ultrasonic waves. Furthermore, this teaching requires that the machines must be inordinately large for the purpose intended. Further, the fact that in these known machines the delivery station and the removal station adjoin each other relatively closely has also proved to be disadvantageous. An arrangement of the delivery and removal stations opposite each other was made possible for the machines in accordance with the German laid-open application No. 20 24 205 by having the ampules make a pass and a half through the machine before being discharged. However, then there is the disadvantage that in a certain area, clean ampules are located next to dirty ampules.